Syria’s Defence Minister General Fahd Jassem Al-Freij has met with senior leaders of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Part (PYD) in the city of Qamishli, in the northern province of Hasakah, a local source revealed.
A local activist in the city, who asked not to be named, told the Anadolu Agency that “Freij arrived in Hasakah with a delegation that included members of the Syrian intelligence services and met with PYD members in Qamishli.”
The activist said that the “PYD asked Al-Freij to hand down all weapons owned by the regime’s regiment 123 in Hasakah.”
It is unknown how the regime responded.
Meanwhile, local sources reported that members of the Islamic State (ISIS) withdrew from the neighbourhood of Ghwerran in Hasakah after intensive raids by the regime’s fighters.
The source said that clashes are continuing between ISIS and the Syrian regime, backed by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), in the outskirts of Hasakah and some other areas. Adding that the US-led international coalition and the Syrian regime have launched airstrikes against ISIS targets on the outskirts of Hasakah.
Over the past few days, ISIS has taken control of Al-Nashwa neighbourhood in Hasakah and a security centre belonging to the regime in addition to parts of Al-Nashwa Al-Sharqiya neighbourhood.
The Syrian regime and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units share control on the city of Hasakah, while ISIS controls large areas of the surrounding areas.
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